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Abu El-Asrar AM, De Hertogh G, Allegaert E, Nawaz MI, Abouelasrar Salama S, Gikandi PW, Opdenakker G, Struyf S. Macrophage-Myofibroblast Transition Contributes to Myofibroblast Formation in Proliferative Vitreoretinal Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13510. [PMID: 37686317 PMCID: PMC10487544 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and fibrosis are key features of proliferative vitreoretinal disorders. We aimed to define the macrophage phenotype and investigate the role of macrophage-myofibroblast transition (MMT) in the contribution to myofibroblast populations present in epiretinal membranes. Vitreous samples from proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and nondiabetic control patients, epiretinal fibrovascular membranes from PDR patients and fibrocellular membranes from PVR patients, human retinal Müller glial cells and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were studied by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analysis. Myofibroblasts expressing α-SMA, fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) and fibroblast-specific protein-1 (FSP-1) were present in all membranes. The majority of CD68+ monocytes/macrophages co-expressed the M2 macrophage marker CD206. In epiretinal membranes, cells undergoing MMT were identified by co-expression of the macrophage marker CD68 and myofibroblast markers α-SMA and FSP-1. Further analysis revealed that CD206+ M2 macrophages co-expressed α-SMA, FSP-1, FAP-α and ß-catenin. Soluble (s) CD206 and sFAP-α levels were significantly higher in vitreous samples from PDR and PVR patients than in nondiabetic control patients. The proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and the hypoxia mimetic agent cobalt chloride induced upregulation of sFAP-α in culture media of Müller cells but not of HRMECs. The NF-ĸß inhibitor BAY11-7085 significantly attenuated TNF-α-induced upregulation of sFAP-α in Müller cells. Our findings suggest that the process of MMT might contribute to myofibroblast formation in epiretinal membranes, and this transition involved macrophages with a predominant M2 phenotype. In addition, sFAP-α as a vitreous biomarker may be derived from M2 macrophages transitioned to myofibroblasts and from Müller cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Abu El-Asrar
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia; (M.I.N.); (P.W.G.); (G.O.)
- Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Research Chair in Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gert De Hertogh
- Laboratory of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (G.D.H.); (E.A.)
- University Hospitals UZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eef Allegaert
- Laboratory of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (G.D.H.); (E.A.)
- University Hospitals UZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mohd I. Nawaz
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia; (M.I.N.); (P.W.G.); (G.O.)
| | - Sara Abouelasrar Salama
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (S.A.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Priscilla W. Gikandi
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia; (M.I.N.); (P.W.G.); (G.O.)
| | - Ghislain Opdenakker
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia; (M.I.N.); (P.W.G.); (G.O.)
- University Hospitals UZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofie Struyf
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (S.A.S.); (S.S.)
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Abu El-asrar AM, Nawaz MI, Allegaert E, Siddiquei MM, Ahmad A, Gikandi P, Hertogh GD, Opdenakker G. Differential Expression and Localization of ADAMTS Proteinases in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. Molecules 2022; 27:5977. [PMID: 36144730 PMCID: PMC9506249 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the expression of ADAMTS proteinases ADAMTS-1, -2, -4, -5 and -13; their activating enzyme MMP-15; and the degradation products of proteoglycan substrates versican and biglycan in an ocular microenvironment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. Vitreous samples from PDR and nondiabetic patients, epiretinal fibrovascular membranes from PDR patients, rat retinas, retinal Müller glial cells and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were studied. The levels of ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were increased in the vitreous from PDR patients. Both full-length and cleaved activation/degradation fragments of ADAMTS proteinases were identified. The amounts of versican and biglycan cleavage products were increased in vitreous from PDR patients. ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were localized in endothelial cells, monocytes/macrophages and myofibroblasts in PDR membranes, and ADAMTS-4 was expressed in the highest number of stromal cells. The angiogenic activity of PDR membranes correlated significantly with levels of ADAMTS-1 and -4 cellular expression. ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were expressed in rat retinas. ADAMTS-1 and -5 and MMP-15 levels were increased in diabetic rat retinas. HRMECs and Müller cells constitutively expressed ADAMTS proteinases but not MMP-15. The inhibition of NF-κB significantly attenuated the TNF-α-and-VEGF-induced upregulation of ADAMTS-1 and -4 in a culture medium of HRMECs and Müller cells. In conclusion, ADAMTS proteinases, MMP-15 and versican and biglycan cleavage products were increased in the ocular microenvironment of patients with PDR.
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Opdenakker G, Vermeire S, Abu El-Asrar A. How to place the duality of specific MMP-9 inhibition for treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases into clinical opportunities? Front Immunol 2022; 13:983964. [PMID: 36164340 PMCID: PMC9509204 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.983964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) with the involvement of immune cells and molecules, including cytokines, chemokines and proteases. A previous extensive review about the molecular biology of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs), related to intestinal barrier destruction and restoration functions in IBD, is here complemented with the literature from the last five years. We also compare IBD as a prototypic mucosal inflammation of an epithelial barrier against microorganisms with inflammatory retinopathy as a disease with a barrier dysfunction at the level of blood vessels. Multiple reasons are at the basis of halting clinical trials with monoclonal antibodies against MMP-9 for IBD treatment. These include (i) the absence of a causative role of MMP-9 in the pathology in animal models of IBD, (ii) the fact that endotoxins, crossing the intestinal barrier, induce massive local release of both neutrophil collagenase (MMP-8) and gelatinase B (MMP-9), (iii) insufficient recognition that MMPs modify the activities of cytokines, chemokines and their receptors, (iv) ignorance that MMPs exist as mixtures of proteoforms with different posttranslational modifications and with different specific activities and (v) the fact that MMPs and TIMPs act in an interactive network, possibly having also beneficial effects on IBD evolution. Nevertheless, inhibition of MMPs may be a useful therapeutic approach during specific IBD disease phases or in specific sub-phenotypes. This temporary “window of opportunity” for MMP-9 inhibition may be complemented by a locoregional one, provided that the pharmacological agents are targeted in time to affected tissues, as is achieved in ophthalmological inflammation. Thus, in order to discover spatial and temporal windows of opportunity for MMP inhibition as treatment of IBD, more preclinical work including well controlled animal studies will be further needed. In this respect, MMP-9/NGAL complex analysis in various body compartments is helpful for better stratification of IBD patients who may benefit from anti-MMP-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghislain Opdenakker
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Ophthalmology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Ghislain Opdenakker,
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